The purification of water with ozone began in Europe about 1893 when drinking water was purified with an ozone pretreatment system. Now several communities throughout the world use ozone to pretreat drinking water.
Ozone treatment of swimming pool water began in Europe in the early 1950's and has steadily gained acceptance since that time. It is now considered to be one of the most effective water sanitizers available today, even though most health departments regulations in the United States require the pool operator to test for pH and chlorine.
It is not difficult to spot a pool, spa or hot tub where the water has been treated with ozone. The water is crystal clear and there is nothing in the water to make bather's eyes sting. There are no chemical odors.
Ozone (O.sub.3) is found commonly in nature and is formed by lightning bolts or other electrical discharge creating a spark. Ozone is also the result of direct ultraviolet radiation from the sun reacting with the planets atmosphere.
Most ozone generated is by the ultraviolet (UV) process where ordinary air is moved through a reaction chamber energized by untraviolet light which splits some oxygen molecules into oxygen atoms. The oxygen atoms quickly react with oxygen molecules to form ozone (3O.sub.2 +Energy=2O.sub.3).
To be effective the ozone air mixture must be thoroughly dissolved into the water which is an equally important step in the total process. The dissolved or dispersed ozone can then react with the bacteria, virus, algae, protozea and other contaminants and pathogens before the water is returned to a pool/spa or the like.
Government agencies (OSHA and the EPA) are watching to insure that ozone systems meet high standards. Some agencies established within the pool and spa industry are writing new guidelines and recommendations to deal with equipment used in pools and spas as well as the purification of the water.
There are many advantages in ozonating various types of aqueous liquids, as later outlined throughout the specification, and there is no doubt that the economic and health advantages of a well designed and quality ozonation system make purification and sterilization a relatively easy requirement to reach.
The predominant prior art showing the generation of ozone illustrates special ultraviolet (UV) equipment which causes naturally occurring oxygen (O.sub.2) in the air to disassociate forming two individual oxygen atoms O.sub.1 which subsequently combine with additional oxygen molecules to form ozone (O.sub.3). The resulting ozone gas is then remixed with water where the disinfection immediately occurs.
The present invention utilizes apparatus which may be referred to as silent electrical discharge apparatus. The term "silent electric discharge" as used herein generally means an electrical discharge of the silent-type characterized by a relatively high voltage, a relatively low current density and a relatively low gas temperature. Radiation detection devices such as geiger/mueller counters and ionization chambers may be thought of as silent electrical discharge types of apparatus.
It is believed the UV process is not sufficently energetic to release effective amounts of singlet oxygen as does the silent electrical discharge method and apparatus.
The singlet oxygen is readily reactable with all organic materials, including both pathogens and water impurities. Presence of singlet oxygen with the ozone is believed to definitely enhance any sterilization process.
At present no prior art is known for generating ozone and singlet oxygen with the use of such silent electric discharge apparatus particularly when combined with steps of moving the ozone and singlet oxygen constituents into contact with pathogens for sterilization and medical treatment.
Prior art which is known utilizing silent electrical discharge apparatus is U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,475,308; 3,497,436 and 3,518,178. One of the joint inventors in these prior art patents is the inventor of this present invention. To the extent as may be pertinent, these patents are incorporated herein by reference.